Ramblings and Recipes

She wore the ring on her finger every day since she graduated from school with a degree in bookkeeping, the woman explained. Her mother made her get her full name and Social Security number in it in case it was ever lost, hopefully somehow, that would help the ring come back to her. Her mother worked at the grain silo, where she would initial each man's time card as they came in for work. Again in the afternoon, she would perform the same task. After a year there, her boss rewarded her with a rubber stamp. "Sarah" was grateful for the stamp as the pen rubbing against her finger would sometimes make a blister. "It was a shorter than normal pen, and it hit me right below the ring. Sometimes it would creep under my ring and that really hurt!" She said, laughing as she rubbed the ring. Her parents told her that she could either have a ring for graduation or a vacation. She chose the ring because her father was friends with a jeweler. The man came in every day to the silo. He always took the time to make a small joke and bring her a copy of the newspaper when he remembered that she asked "Are you finished with that paper?" as he was leaving the office. She learned his name was "Jack" and that he lived only a few miles from her. For 3 months, they merely exchanged pleasantries. She even told him of a man that had asked her out for a dinner date. "You can't go out with him, Sarah!" He exclaimed, hitting his leg with his hat. "Why not, Jack?" She asked. "Because you should go out with me." He replied, not looking at her.She agreed. They went to dinner. Walked around the block of downtown, looking at the windows of the department stores. They went on dates every week for three weeks. On their one month anniversary, Jack asked Sarah if she would consider marrying him. She agreed. At the end of the next month, they were married, with the only other ring she would ever wear, her wedding band. She also had it engraved with her new last name and Social Security number. A year later began the children. Four in total. Two girls and two boys. Each would complete college and would be offered the same as their mother. A gold class ring or a vacation. Each one, having heard the story of the ring their whole lives would choose the ring. As did their children. We sat together in her living room where I was her daytime caregiver. She was nearing the end of her time here on earth, and she asked me to write down the story for her children. She was afraid that the children would forget the story of the two rings. I told her that I was sure that they would not, but she also wanted to note in the facts that I was writing for her where both rings came from so that both girls could get a duplicate of the ring that they would not be inheriting made if they chose to. I love it when I find out the history of items, because in that history is the history of people and family. Do you have jewelry with a family history in it? Share in the details!